


Spring, Marriage and Overprotective Elder Brothers

by lady_readalot



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 20:29:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5062981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_readalot/pseuds/lady_readalot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Peter performs the duty he does every spring,and comes to some startling realizations. Features the epic battle of Logic vs Overprotective Older Brother. Tiny, tiny hints of inappropriateness. Oneshot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spring, Marriage and Overprotective Elder Brothers

Peter Pevensie, The High King of Narnia, groaned loudly. He bent over and rested his head on the huge desk in front of him, his forehead landing on a stack of official documents.  
  
It was that time of the year. One of the most dreaded of his life. As an older brother, it was pure torture.  
  
Why? It was spring.  
  
Peter didn't have anything against the season itself. On the contrary, it was the most pleasant time to be in Narnia, when the weather was neither hot nor cold. It was a wonderful time to be outside.  
  
What Peter didn't like about spring, however, was that it was the season in which people decided to get married. It was the season of love. It was the season where rich Lords and Kings and Queens decided that they wanted to court his siblings and himself.  
  
So every year, during the spring, Cair Paravel was bombarded with requests of marriage. Letters asking for a certain siblings hand to strengthen alliances, provide financial assistance, prevent wars, and some other reasons Peter didn't really care about. However, these letters came by the truckload every spring, and Peter knew he would have to answer them.  
  
He took it upon himself to do this daunting task. This was the sixth year of his reign, the sixth year of denying marriage requests to the Kings and Queens of Narnia. And, as older brother, he was sure they were going to remain denied.  
  
They should have learned the first time. Peter thought, shaking his head as he lifted it from his desk. He'd been thirteen when they had started arriving, and he'd sent a strongly worded letter to every request, making it clear that no more of these were to be sent.  
  
Lucy had received one, at the age of ten! It had been a request to betroth her to a nine-year old son of a Duke in Archenland. And Edmund, at eleven, had received a few as well, some of which had women that were at least thirty years older! Susan had received the most, being the next-in-line to receiving the "High monarch" title if anything happened to Peter.  
  
After that year, Peter had sat down at the end of every spring and, to his siblings' annoyance and occasional distress, denied every single marriage request that had been received.  
  
That hadn't worked. They were increasing every year. As the monarchs grew older, more and more letters had arrived. It was the nightmare of every responsible older brother, and they made him furious like nothing else did.  
  
Peter sighed, completing another rejection letter of Lucy's. Being finished with her pile, and long completed his and Susan's, he wearily turned to Edmund's. He stopped short on seeing the size of the thing.  
  
It was enormous. Which was strange, because it was usually him or Susan that got the most requests, being the eldest. Susan's suitors were usually the worst kind, and Peter had once received a request to her two years ago from the Prince of Goodness-Knows-Where. The Prince was confident, arrogant, and had said some things in the letter that made Peter's blood boil. In fact, he'd stood up and began to walk out of the palace to saddle up his horse. He'd been about to ride to the Prince and give him a sound beating. It had taken his royal guard physically restraining him, Susan on his back, and his younger siblings hanging on to his legs to get him to go back. It had been days before he was fully calmed down.  
  
Peter frowned at this memory, and started on Edmund's pile with a new fervor. He just couldn't believe the number of his letters this year. It was disgusting, Edmund was just a child! He was only…what, sixteen?  
  
Peter started a bit, hand smudging up the royal signature. Since when had his little brother turned sixteen? Still, it was much too young to be even considering any of this. He himself was nineteen, and even that wasn't old enough to get married.  
  
So you say. Whispered an annoying little voice at the back of his brain, the one called Logic. You know, you're getting to the age where you have to seriously consider some of these requests. Same for your brother and sisters, Susan is practically an adult now! She can make her own decisions…  
  
Peter sighed, and started down at the letter he hadn't completed yet. They really were starting to grow up, maybe he should…  
  
He snapped back to reality. Over. His. Dead. Body. Was he ever going to consider accepting any marriage request to any of his siblings. Logic screamed as he was speared in the back by the predominant presence in his mind, Overprotective Older Brother. Peter scowled and began attacking his task with a new fury.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
Peter looked up, still mulling over the pros and cons of hiring an assassin in response to one inappropriate letter. "What?"  
  
He started for the second time that day as he saw Edmund standing near the door. Edmund was so tall now; his head was nearly touching the top of the doorframe! Peter was sure he hadn't been that tall when he was Edmund's age.  
  
Edmund continued, not noticing Peter's surprise. "Lucy wants you to come down and help her make cupcakes. Don't ask me why she picked you; you're worse than her when it comes to baking. What are you doing now, anyway?"  
  
Peter shrugged. "What I do every spring."  
  
Edmund looked confused, and then a gleam of comprehension lit his eyes. "I see. Did you have Susan look over hers, like she asked you to? Does she even know what you're doing?"  
  
Peter's nostrils flared. "No." He said shortly. "There will be no discussion about this. What I say goes."  
  
Edmund sighed. "Pete, remember how upset she was last time? She's growing up, you know. We all are. Susan will want to get married eventually. Plus, she does want to feel like she has some control over her life. You know how she is."  
  
Peter frowned. "Not in things like this. I will not allow it. I am the responsible one here; I can't let any of you make the decision of marriage."  
  
He said the word like it was a disease.  
  
Edmund snorted. "There's a difference between the responsible one and the one responsible, my dear brother. And you're just the latter."  
  
Peter rolled his eyes. "Very witty, Ed. Now run along, I'll finish these up and be with you in a bit."  
  
Edmund mock-bowed. "Yes Your Majesty, High King Peter the Overprotective." He chuckled, turned, and raced out of the room, dodging the quill pen Peter had sent his way.  
  
Peter rubbed his nose and pulled out another quill. He then sat down to resume his work, fuming a little. He was not overprotective! Well, maybe a little, but for a good reason! He would always be the eldest brother, even of his siblings were growing up.  
  
Peter smiled sadly to himself. He would give Edmund a little more leeway with the army next time, he decided. He'd let Susan have more authority in decisions made in court, and Lucy would be allowed to help with negotiations. His siblings were growing up, after all…  
  
All thoughts of that raced out of his mind as he started down at the last letter. It was from the sister of the Prince who'd sent one to Susan two years ago. It seemed like she was as arrogant as her brother. And as inappropriate.  
  
Peter gritted his teeth. This. Meant. War!  
  
He stood up and placed the letter inside a folder marked Declarations of War, and continued his task with vigor.  
  
Growing up would have to wait. There was no way that would ever happen while he was around.  
  
Inside his mind, Logic twitched, gave one last dying shriek, and vanished, leaving Overprotective Older Brother victorious.  
  
END


End file.
